kirk

• POS: Noun

CIDE DICTIONARY

kirk, n. [Scot.; cf. Icel. kirkja, of Greek origin. See Church.].

 A church or the church, in the various senses of the word; esp., the Church of Scotland as distinguished from other reformed churches, or from the Roman Catholic Church.  Jamieson.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

kirk, n. Sc. & N.Engl.
1 a church.
2 (the Kirk or the Kirk of Scotland) the Church of Scotland as distinct from the Church of England or from the Episcopal Church in Scotland.

Idiom

Kirk-session
1 the lowest court in the Church of Scotland.
2 hist. the lowest court in other Presbyterian Churches, composed of ministers and elders.

Etymology

ME f. ON kirkja f. OE cir(i)ce CHURCH

ROGET THESAURUS

kirk

Temple

N temple, place of worship, house of God, house of prayer, temple, cathedral, minster, church, kirk, chapel, meetinghouse, bethel, tabernacle, conventicle, basilica, fane, holy place, chantry, oratory, synagogue, mosque, marabout, pantheon, pagoda, joss house, dogobah, tope, kiosk, kiack, masjid, parsonage, rectory, vicarage, manse, deanery, glebe, Vatican, bishop's palace, Lambeth, altar, shrine, sanctuary, Holy of Holies, sanctum sanctorum, sacristy, sacrarium, communion table, holy table, Lord's table, table of the Lord, pyx, baptistery, font, piscina, stoup, aumbry, sedile, reredos, rood loft, rood screen, chancel, quire, choir, nave, aisle, transept, vestry, crypt, golgotha, calvary, Easter sepulcher, stall, pew, pulpit, ambo, lectern, reading desk, confessional, prothesis, credence, baldachin, baldacchino, apse, belfry, chapter house, presbytery, anxious-bench, anxious-seat, diaconicum, jube, mourner's bench, mourner's seat, cloisters, churchyard, monastery, priory, abbey, friary, convent, nunnery, cloister, claustral, cloistered, monastic, monasterial, conventual, ne vile fano, there's nothing ill can dwell in such a temple.